BPI action against three more file-sharing sites to be heard in court

Legal action by record label trade body the BPI seeking to force internet service providers to block access to three more file-sharing websites – Fenopy, H33t and Kickass Torrents – is now expected to reach court next week.

Having successfully secured injunctions to force all the major UK ISPs to block access to the always controversial Pirate Bay last year, the BPI turned its attention to other enablers of unlicensed music distribution last autumn, writing to net firms about Fenopy, H33t and Kickass Torrents in October before putting the wheels in motion to secure new injunctions targeting the three sites.

The latest application for web-blocking injunctions was due to be considered in court yesterday, but was seemingly delayed, and the Open Rights Group – which opposes such web-blocks, though is not formally involved in these proceedings – says a hearing is now scheduled for next week.

In the courts web-blocking, which has been enabled utilising an existing clause of the UK’s Copyright, Designs & Patents Act (there was talk of introducing new web-block legislation, but in the end it wasn’t needed), has not actually been that controversial, though that’s not to say there aren’t plenty of opponents to web-blocking outside court. Opponents argue that web-blocks are an extreme sanction, and anyway don’t work, because those in the know can always circumvent any blockades.